I. John, an English author, son of Dr. John Aikin, tutor in divinity at the dis-senters' academy in Warrington, born in Leicestershire, Jan. 15, 1747, died Dec. 7, 1822. In 1798 he gave up the medical profession for literary pursuits. The best known of his works, in which he was assisted by his sister, Mrs. Barbauld, is "Evenings at Home," a selection of instructive essays and anecdotes for children (revised by Cecil Hartley, 1865). This is still popular, and has been translated into every European language. He was literary editor of the "Monthly Magazine" for the first 10 years after its establishment in 1796, and in 1811 was editor of Dodsley's "Annual Register." His works are very numerous. The principal are: "Biographical Memoirs of Medicine in Great Britain from the Time of Henry VIII."; " The Calendar of the Year," afterward republished as "The Natural History of the Year," remarkable for its conciseness; " England Delineated "; "A Memoir of Howard the Philanthropist," with whom he had intimate friendship; " General Biography " (10 vols. 4to). In medicine he rewrote Lewis's "Materia Medica," and some smaller works.

II. Arthur, son of the preceding, born May 19, 1773, died in Bloomsbury, April 15, 1854. In 1797 he published the "Journal of a Tour through North Wales and Shropshire." From 1803 to 1808 he was editor of the "Annual Review." In connection with his brother Charles, he published in 1807 "A Dictionary of Chemistry and Mineralogy." In 1814 appeared the first edition of his "Manual of Mineralogy." He was for many years resident secretary of the society of arts, and contributed to its "Transactions." He was also one of the founders of the geological society, and for 36 years a fellow of the Linnaean society.

III. Lucy, an English authoress, sister of the preceding, born at Warrington, Nov. 6, 1781, died at Hampstead, Jan. 29, 1864. After having assisted her father and aunt (Mrs. Barbauld) in their literary work, she published a poetical volume in 1810 under the title of " Epistles to Women," modelled after the style of Pope. Her most important works are her memoirs of the courts of Elizabeth (1818), James I. (1822), and Charles I. (1833), and her "Memoirs of Addison" (1843). She also wrote memoirs of her father and her aunt. She was regarded as one of the most accomplished literary women of her time, and was also celebrated for her conversational powers and her social qualities.